krim wrote:I gather that you've not seen the actual transfer yourself?
(if that's the case, i withdraw my inquiry)
Ill dig out my VHS copy and compare with the Criterion version when I have time.
I have seen it, and it didn't look very good for my eyes. But I haven't personally seen the other versions, so I can't compare it to anything. But the french box set got 9/10 for picture quality on dvdrama review. There's also a scandinavian release, which is even worse than criterion, but at least it isn't cropped. Comparison: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare11/brandedtokill.htm
Criterion is an over-rated company. Their recent releases have been very good, but that's not the case with many their old releases. Their Kurosawa discs are poor, and John Woo releases have only one good thing: the extras. Otherwise they look like 5$ HK discs.
maybe it's because ingorance is bliss.. i haven't seen any other copy, other than my worn VHS.
I tend not to rely on what others report, i personally didn't notice the stretch or the cropping... though with something like 20%, i wonder why i never noticed. It's probably not noticable unless you watch the movie alot, or watch them side by side.
im curious now.. ill have to look for a non-criterion copy.
krim wrote:maybe it's because ingorance is bliss.. i haven't seen any other copy, other than my worn VHS.
I tend not to rely on what others report, i personally didn't notice the stretch or the cropping... though with something like 20%, i wonder why i never noticed. It's probably not noticable unless you watch the movie alot, or watch them side by side.
im curious now.. ill have to look for a non-criterion copy.
haha, yeah I know. My Fortune Star/Fox and Celestial dvds looked (well, sounded) so great until I found out they are filled with newly recorded sound effects. I didn't notice it back them, but now I can't stand it. The result: subbing french dvds take all my free time.
Shurayuki-hime wrote:Criterion is an over-rated company. Their recent releases have been very good, but that's not the case with many their old releases. Their Kurosawa discs are poor, and John Woo releases have only one good thing: the extras. Otherwise they look like 5$ HK discs.
I don't find Criterion to be overrated. They seem to be only ones in America who give a damn about foreign films and you gotta give 'em credit for that.
I know this is gonna sound like heresy to this group, but as of now, I find it difficult to care about the differing quality levels of the current movie releases, considering the changes that are said to be coming for TV and home entertainment in the near future.
The questions for me, now, are: What happens to the best of my collection in 5 years? Do all of my DVDs follow my record collection, my 8 track collection, my cassette collection, and my VHS collection into either storage or the garbage can?
5 years from now, will I even be able to buy a machine that will play the top of the line, best quality DVD I buy next week? (Not many stores even bother to stock VCRs these days.)
The advent of an all Digital, High Def, plasma, flat screen, world sounds like it's gonna be wonderful. Until I think of having to replace my whole collection yet again.
Geezer wrote:I know this is gonna sound like heresy to this group, but as of now, I find it difficult to care about the differing quality levels of the current movie releases, considering the changes that are said to be coming for TV and home entertainment in the near future.
For the most part that's true, but with really old stuff, particularly pre-1960's Japanese films which seem to be really beat up (a result of the nitrate stock, I guess), the sooner they start the restoration process the better.
As mentioned in other threads and discussions, you can't wait forever for the technology to stabilize, 'cause it won't. It's constantly evolving, so you might as well step in and enjoy, rather than be on the outside looking in.
I keep what i have on a newer format.. unless there's a large difference in quality.. like Star Wars LD's, i kept.
cassettes and such, i've replaced, because they'll degrade... most likely, i'd keep most of the DVDs i have, until such technology comes around where you can store lossless over time.
Stabilize? Probably not. Become permenant? Of course not.
But I think I can wait for a degree of standardization.
It doesn't exist now. There are too many differing technologies hitting the market all at once.
And I don't think those changes are going to be cosmetic.
Right now there are a few companies that offer a built in chip that will stretch and fill the video from your old discs so that they are playable on HD machines.
I think it's a stop gap.
I'm not saying never buy new. Never try to get the best quality recording you can get.
But what I am saying is, I'm not going to replace the old stuff I have with crisper copies that will probably be unplayable in less than 5 years.
Geezer wrote:
But what I am saying is, I'm not going to replace the old stuff I have with crisper copies that will probably be unplayable in less than 5 years.
The problem with that is, the current collection will probably become unplayable in a few years. You may try to store those VHS tapes in a dust free environment, under ideal humidity and temperature. And you may succeed in extending its life by some time, but continual playback will eat away at the picture quality. And that's the problem of keeping something worth watching: the watching part.
Has anyone heard anything about whether there are plans to release Mibu Gishi Den (When the Last Sword is Drawn) in the US on DVD? I know there was a DVD release in Britain (earlier this year?), but I can't seem to find any information on whether or not they will be releasing it here. I believe it was shown in a few theatres last year, but not anywhere near where I live. :-P
Yes, I could fork out the money for the Region 2 disc, but if it turns out that the movie might be released here (and DVDs are almost always less expensive in America), I'd rather get the domestic version.
There's also a Korean DVD:
http://global.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/pid-1003568665/code-j/section-videos/
US$6,99 at http://www.dvdfromkorea.com/ !!
It's out of stock at KoreanDVDs, DVDHeaven and DVD.co.kr
Szabotage wrote:Has anyone heard anything about whether there are plans to release Mibu Gishi Den (When the Last Sword is Drawn) in the US on DVD? I know there was a DVD release in Britain (earlier this year?), but I can't seem to find any information on whether or not they will be releasing it here. I believe it was shown in a few theatres last year, but not anywhere near where I live. :-P
Yes, I could fork out the money for the Region 2 disc, but if it turns out that the movie might be released here (and DVDs are almost always less expensive in America), I'd rather get the domestic version.
Any news?
Thanks,
Maria
I think I've seen English-subbed bootlegs on eBay... Check the seller named Cannibal King... He's a good seller and reliable.
Here's the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/WHEN-THE-LAST-SWORD-IS-DRAWN-Samurai-DVD_W0QQitemZ6404021500QQcategoryZ617QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
The korean dvd is a port of the japanese disc, meaning it's very good. Most likely the US version won't be that good. If I were you, I would get the korean release, unless if you want subbed extras.
Shurayuki-hime wrote:Why to get a bootleg when you can get official release for cheaper?
The question is whether or not an official U.S. release exists.
And why to get a bootleg at all? All official releases I know are subbed.
All offical releases from Japan? I don't think that's 100% true: I bought the official release of Gun Crazy from Japan and it has no English subs. :puppydog:
bmwracer wrote:
All offical releases from Japan? I don't think that's 100% true: I bought the official release of Gun Crazy from Japan and it has no English subs. :puppydog:
All official releases of When the Last Sword Is Drawn. ;)
bmwracer wrote:
The question is whether or not an official U.S. release exists.
I don't think that justifies piracy. Though I think selling bootlegs is legal in the US as long as no-one over there has bought rights for the film (probably the only country in the world where that is legal). But the truth is that you are financially supporting criminal activity, when you could easily get an official release. If there were no official subbed releases or no releases at all, then I could undrestand (though not approve) getting a bootleg, but when it comes to Last Sword, there's plenty of official releases, and they are even subbed.
And before somebody misunderstand me: this is just my opinion. What do you guys think about this matter?
Seghal wrote:
All official releases of When the Last Sword Is Drawn. ;)
That's what I ment. And my mistake, the scandinavian releases doesn't have english subs :hehe:
Don't get me wrong, I don't subscribe to piracy either.
But if foreign titles are unavailable in the U.S. (or your home country) what does one do?
Buying a DVD out of your Region and playing it back on a hacked DVD player is a subtle form of piracy too, isn't it? If it were not, what's the point in having Region codes in the first place?